Letters to the Editor: February 7-13

The Editor:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Blaine area ports of entry would like to extend their thanks to the local community on both sides of the border.

The Blaine area ports received overwhelming support from Canada Border Services Agency, Blaine Elementary School, local businesses and numerous private citizens from both the United States and Canada during the recent partial government shutdown.

“We wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for the support shown to our employees during our partial government shutdown,” said area port director Kenneth Williams. “Every day we safeguard America’s borders thereby protecting the public from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the Nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel. Your acknowledgement of our commitment to our mission statement truly shows we are a community that supports each other.”

Renne Archer, public affairs liaison

U.S. CBP

The Editor:

I have lived in Semiahmoo for 15 years. We came here because of the beauty and community in our part of the city of Blaine. We have been pleased with the community’s effort to preserve the natural setting that borders Semiahmoo Parkway all the way to the spit. However, I am concerned that the planning commission staff has lost its way. Its recommendation for approval of the Woodberry development that The Northern Light wrote about in the January 31 edition, is a clear deviation from the city’s own guidelines and incompatible with contiguous neighborhoods of Blaine.

Mr. Haugen made his original presentation to the Semiahmoo community regarding the Woodberry project in July of 2017. The development is across Semiahmoo Parkway from my home. It would have been difficult for him to be more arrogant and unconcerned about the interests of the community. I attended the planning council meetings on January 10 and 24. Mr. Haugen’s representative stated that Haugen believes he should be able to do what he wants with his property because he is a “Libertarian”. I don’t see why his political views should have any place in his application for the Woodberry development.

Then sitting on the property for several years, putting up fences (including chain link), destroying the buffer to the road, providing parking for commercial vehicles, motorhomes and boats represents a “compatible” development. That defies reality. In your article about the Woodberry development, the Haugens’ lawyer was quoted as saying the Haugens are going to clear the property whether or not the development moves forward. Suggesting that they may “farm” nine acres is a clear threat directed at the neighbors and the city of Blaine planning commission. We favor development and housing solutions that are consistent with community and environmental guidelines for Semiahmoo, where approximately a quarter of Blaine’s residents live.

To begin a pattern of approving the destruction of what may be the most beautiful and scenic drive in Blaine is just plain wrong.

Sue Berkman

Blaine

(Ed. Note: The Blaine Planning Commission did not vote to recommend Blaine City Council approve planned unit development or preliminary plat applications for the Woodberry project. The commission will continue discussing the project at a work session scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 28 at Blaine City Hall, located at 435 Martin Street, Suite 4000.)

The Editor:

In The Northern Light’s article about the proposed Woodberry development, Rolf Haugen’s lawyer was quoted as saying, amongst other things, that the developer is considering alternatives for using the property including “residential development in keeping with the city zoning or clearing it to utilize for crop or animal uses. Regardless of whether the development proposal moves forward, the property will be cleared.”

I had two reactions. Amazement and amusement.

Amazement: Mr. Haugen’s apparent disdain for Blaine’s city code and legal due process. His attorney even states that the anticipated uses include some that are in keeping with the city zoning as well as other uses, presumably not permitted by zoning laws such as the keeping of farm animals.

Puzzling? Yes. Total disdain for legal requirements and Blaine city officials? Definitely.

Amusement: Most of us are parents and grandparents. We know a temper tantrum when we see one. For young children, it is part of growing up. They grow out of it, mostly. Apparently not always.

Buzz Abercrombie

Blaine

The Editor:

The governor of Virginia should resign and racism should be redefined as a crime. The right to speak and think as you like is part of the greatness of our democratic system and must be always protected.

Prejudices of all kinds, including racial, are a part of this protection. Our laws govern behavior and actions. Racism is a pernicious prejudice which organizes these beliefs into action intended to harm other citizens, including verbally, around a principle of hatred. There may also be secondary benefits to those who are racist including economic but the primary first cause is the intention to harm. To bully this way must be a chargeable crime beyond hate crime status.

There is no law against being stupid or ugly and there should not be as such can be avoided. There must be a law when this is organized into proposed demonstrable action because those results cannot be avoided and innocent citizens are to be protected under our laws.

Sharon Robinson

Blaine

The Editor:

Thank you to the Blaine Food Bank for opening your doors on January 26 to the furloughed government employees. The volunteers, donors and the community, you’re incredible!

Kerry Mace

Blaine

The Editor:

Let us forget about the possible (Woodberry) housing project, even the farming possibility of this property; the question is, “Where is the environmental impact report?” For such a major change in use, that is required or the local effect that would be caused by clear-cutting to neighboring properties as the attorney said would happen even if the house-building didn’t go through or the farming.

I believe it is obvious on the man’s part to cause a ‘degrading’ of Semiahmoo community standing within the whole of the city of Blaine.

George McKinney

Blaine

The Editor:

I write to comment on the proposed Woodberry development and specifically the letter from the project’s lawyer as reported in The Northern Light in the January 31 issue. I was also quoted in the article as a speaker at the January 24 planning commission meeting.

The lawyer’s letter states “The project has been thoroughly vetted by staff and met with their support.” Many of us at the meeting had serious questions about the thoroughness of the staff’s work and the number of exceptions which were granted.

Further, the lawyer states that the owner has held the property for several years. She ignores that when it was acquired it was part of the Semiahmoo Resort Master Plan (RSMP) which does not permit agriculture or logging. Nor does she acknowledge that agriculture and logging are not permitted in the Recreational Planned Residential zoning area (RPR) which currently covers this property. This is not farmland. But she states, regardless, “the property will be cleared.” The flagrant disregard for the community is appalling.

Why and how was this parcel removed from the RSMP, which has guided the development of Semiahmoo’s many and varied neighborhoods?

The city of Blaine has spent years working to improve the downtown, and added walking trails and parks to make Blaine an attractive city where people want to work, to live, to raise families. The west side of Semiahmoo Parkway is part of the city and it should be developed with the same dedication to working with the existing environment, and creating neighborhoods where people and animals can live in harmony.

Helen Worley

Blaine

Clarification

A letter by the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce board of directors that was published in the January 31 edition of The Northern Light was intended to address Whatcom County public works maintenance and operations staff.